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I thing to consider: A root search-feature.It is possible in Accordance, and I would like to use a feature like this from time to time. Like, when searching on everything that has to do with disciples and discipleship in Matthew - then you have to know that at least three words are in play (mathetes, manthano, matheteuo). A root search would in principal help you clarify certain topics better.

On the other hand, such a feature must be based on manual tagging and thus after all introduce a number of editorial decisions.

What do you think? Have you ever missed a root-search function?

Morten

Originally Posted by jimofbentley

It would be helpful, at times, but couldn't you do the same thing by using the Graphical Search Engine? It would take a little longer, as you would have to set up the search parameters yourself, but it could easily be done.

Originally Posted by MortenJensen

I don't think so. How will you do that?

Morten

I can set up the GSE, but I don't know how to display it here.

However, a simple "or" search:

/μαθητευω μανθανω καταμανθανω μαθητης μαθητρια συμμαθητης αμαθης

would turn up all of the roots having to do with "discipleship".

For this, I used Trenchard's Complete Vocabulary Guide to the Greek New Testament, under the "Cognate Word Groups" section.

Suggestions

I like most of what I see in the discussion, though I am not a manuscript expert.

1. I would like to see a more formal editor, with some of the ability that Word and Wperfect have to format.
2. Want to see Confessions set up like Bible Texts--Bold references (e.g WCF 1:3) along with a full set of 3 Forms of Unity
3. More clarity on what each tab does, and less confusion as to where to find the tabs I want.

Color highlighting for bracketed textual variants

I would like BW10 to color highlight bracketed textual variants in the various Greek texts whenever I'm doing text comparisons. I've been building a variant database, and have missed numerous bracketed variants because they are not highlighted.

Unless, of course, there's some way to do it that I am missing (happens a lot with BW!).

I would like BW10 to color highlight bracketed textual variants in the various Greek texts whenever I'm doing text comparisons. I've been building a variant database, and have missed numerous bracketed variants because they are not highlighted.

Unless, of course, there's some way to do it that I am missing (happens a lot with BW!).

I know of no automatic way to construct a colour file for all bracketed words/phrases in a given Greek version; it could be done manually by someone obsessive-compulsive enough.

I would suggest that making the bracketed text easily findable (and therefore high-lightable) in BW would be a very nice touch. In WTM information on textual notes is included in the morphological tags (and therefore searchable). Maybe something similar would be possible for Greek versions.

Thanks, Jim. I followed that thread a while back, and downloaded the GNT as an rtf file as suggested by Michael. However, I discovered that manually scanning the text in BW was faster for what I'm doing.

One thing I would like to see in the next version of BibleWorks is a way of listing different forms automatically.

I'm doing a little looking right now on second aorist forms (is this the right way of saying it in English?). Take for example ἔρχομαι, 3d pers., plur.:

*ἦλθον: 444x*ήλθοσαν: 17x*ῆλθαν: 9x

As far as I know, there is no way of making BW spit out an automatic list like this (much less conduct a search for specific endings via a morphological search, i.e., in BGM rather than BGT). Lists of this kind can be useful for teaching and research, and it seems to me like an area that is not very developed in BW. Perhaps others might have come across this. I'd be interested in your feedback (and other examples!).

Actually the Usage Summary for BGM approaches this, but there seems to be no way of sorting out the data in it, or exporting it to a word processor. It's also limited to Biblical texts, if I'm not mistaken.

Don Cobb
Aix-en-Povence, France

Hello all,

1. I made the above suggestion some time ago, but it was never picked up on. I'm thinking it's because it came between two posts on the NETS Bible (remember that?!!!). I'd be interested in knowing if any one else sees the usefulness of the idea.

One thing that strikes me is that the list-making capability in BW seems to be solely focused on verses, i.e., I can make a list of where certain verb or nouns are found, but it doesn't seem like I can compile a list of the forms themselves, that can then be sorted by frequency, etc. Another example : in one forum I follow, I found this:

Person/Number

Count

1P

870

1S

2069

2P

2059

2S

1416

3P

3322

3S

9426

I don't think this can be done in BW9. It would be a nice feature! Something like this can actually be done with the lemma/form usage statistics in the analysis pane, but I have yet to find a way of exporting the results.

2. Along the same lines, it would be nice to be able to compile, for instance, a list of aorist passive verbs that have a -θ ending (i.e., ἐλύθην, etc., as opposed to, say, Ao2 non sigmatic verbs, e.g., ἐσπάρην). This would require filtering and ordering both the data in the morphological versions, as well as the forms in the text versions. But it would be a nice feature!

3. It would also be nice to be able to export all this in some eye-pleasing format.

4. I read this morning the complaints registered about not being able to use unicode, and the responses given there. From what I understand, the non unicode internal language (if I'm not expressing myself too poorly) is one of the reasons for the speed in BW searches. There is one valid point in the remarks made, however, and that it that it's not currently possible to paste unicode texts into the search window in order to search on a root, a form or a string. In working with other resources, this would be a a helpful feature, IMO.

5. I would love to see a punctuated version of the LXX, Apostolic Fathers, and other Greek texts! It's not so difficult to get used to when actually reading the texts, but when doing string or (especially) syntax searches, there are often times when the punctuation affects the query.

6. It would also be nice to envision tie-ins with TLG and PHI texts. This would be really helpful in searching on forms outside of those texts that are in the BW9 version (same language searches).

7. A minor quibble. I know that aesthetics is a minor issue in the grand scheme. But it would be nice if the overall presentation of BW were improved. The button bar is already a step in the right direction. But one of my students looked at my setup a while ago (a non BW user) and quipped: "When will BW stop looking like a DOS program?" The Mac Beta version is even less appealing, visually. Along these same lines, harmonizing the different formats that are used would be nice. It seems like there is one for "Daily light", one for the CHM (?) documents (grammars, etc.), one for the brows window, one for the KWIK reports, etc. That gives the overall impression of an amateurish presentation.

I know this thread has gone on for quite a while, and perhaps I'm trying to flog a dead horse, but the suggestions here have been on my mind for a while. I also want to reiterate my thanks to the BW staff for the great--and selfless--work they do. I have a great appreciation for you folks!